Book Review – Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (or, Don’t You Get that Tattoo)

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match. -Goodreads Synopsis

Let me start by answering this question…yes, this is a kissing book. (Don’t recommend it to young adults—I can guarantee their college experience will not be like the one in this book.) I have officially jumped into the wide world of adult fiction…and wow is it predictable. (That isn’t a slam on this book, I did like this book. Just saying.) This is the classic good girl meets bad boy story, except the girl isn’t so good. Travis is a bad boy, with a sad backstory. (But I want his family. Like if I could have a third family, I would steal his. I’ve always wanted herd of brothers.) And Abby’s father is a certifiably insane gambler with ties to the mob and a drunken ex-wife. So, welcome to the world of dysfunctional relationships.

This book takes place from Abby’s POV. (I prefer the second book—Walking Disaster. It is from Travis’s POV.) Honestly, Abby is really frustrating. I spent a majority of the book wanted to slap her. I only wanted to slap Travis a little, and usually I was over that in like five seconds. He is obviously trying to drop his bad-boy ways, and Abby is kind of a jerk. The book was a pretty quick read, and it flows well.

On a side note, this book has a lot of tattoos—including name tattoos. Sweet baby Jesus, do not get someone’s name tattooed in a visible place if you just met them! Unless you know their social security number, have six children, a life insurance policy on them, a joint bank account, and share a bathroom. You are not Nostradamus, you don’t know what’s going to be going on in five years. Don’t come crying when you can’t get a job as a kindergarten teacher because you have “I love Billy-Bob” on your face.

That’s enough ranting. I really did enjoy the book. The characters were relatable, and it took my back to college. Ah, the golden years before I paid on my student loans and had a real job. I would give it five stars, but I spend most of the book groaning at the irritating indecisiveness of Abby, that I am pretty sure I lost a few years of my life. For that reason—four stars!